Sunday, May 3, 2015

If you research in a concentrated areas, like I do, sometimes things happen that other researchers will never experience. Today, once again, my family came full circle.

While updating and researching my Leaman/Leeman family out of Albert and Westmorland County, New Brunswick I ran into a name I didn't have in my database. Come to find out, as I very often find in New Brunswick, she was using her middle name. She would be a very distant cousin to me.

Albina Gerturde Leaman, daughter of Aaron and Levinia (Viney) Whitnect Leaman, she was born in Salisbury, Westmorland Co, New Brunswick on 5 Sep 1868. In 1910 she is living in Boston as Gertrude Briggs in the home of her daughter Mabel G Welsh b. 15 may 1889, Boston , her husband George H. Walsh and two children John and George Welsh. Mable who is found as Mabel Wallace married George, 2 Aug 1907 in Boston. Also with them is a daughter Mary E. Briggs b. 1896, however her birth records show her as Mary Elizabeth Wallace, b. 3 Aug 1896 in Boston. They were the daughters of Gertrude Leaman and Edmund/Edward Wallace.

After spending some time finding all the records Edmund/Edward is listed as being born in Moncton, New Brunswick. I then found his marriage to Gertrude on 1 Apr 1887 in Boston. Her parents listed as above and Edmund's parents listed as Henry Wallace and Henrietta.

You know when you have that "OMG" moment. Edmund/Edward Caleb Wallace, was the son of my 3rd great aunt Henrietta Price Wallace, daughter of William Price and Sarah Cushing. Part of a totally different line of my family.

His marriage and time in Boston are not recorded in any of the family records I have ever found, nor his marriage to Gertrude Leaman. They are never in a census record as a family as most of the 1891 U.S. Census was destroyed and Edmund returns to Moncton before 1900 and re-marries. He lists himself as a bachelor when he marries Jessie Whitnect on 9 Jan 1900 and goes on to have has two daughters with her. Beulah Harriett Wallace b. 21 Sep 1905 and Ella May Wallace b. 28 Jul 1907 both born in Moncton.

Gertrude stayed in Massachusetts with her two surviving daughters. There were two known boys born to the marriage, Edmund b. 1893 and James C b.1894 both died at age 4 months in Boston. The 1910 Census for Boston lists her as twice married with 8 children born to her with 7 living. Gertrude (Briggs) died in Boston on 5 Nov 1915.

I think this answers the question many Genealogist asked themselves, how far down a line should I trace, how in depth should I go? Well today I am very glad that my obsessive researching lead me to Edmund Wallace and Gertrude Leaman.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Did you know some Civil War Soldiers were eligible for both Federal and State Pensions for their service.

Maine is one of those states, so if you are researching your ancestor be sure to look for both.

See below from the Law that put the pensions into effect. This book can be found on Google Books for free.

The Revised Statutes of the State of Maine, Passed September 29, 1916, and Taking Effect

January 1, 1917

Page 1636

"The State Pension Law.

Sec. I. Pensions to soldiers and sailors. R. S. c. 145, § I. 1913, c. 17. Any person who has served by enlistment in the army or navy of the United States in the war of eighteen hundred and sixty-one, on the quota of Maine, and any person not on the quota of Maine, who has served in the army or navy of the United States in said war, and who was a resident of this state at date of enlistment, and at time of making application for pension shall have been a resident of the state at least five years; also any person who has served by enlistment in the army or navy of the United States in the war with Spain, on the quota of Maine, and any person whether on or not on the quota of Maine, who has served in the army or navy of the United States in the war with Spain or the Philippine Insurrection at any time prior to the fourth day of July, nineteen hundred and two, and who was a resident of this state at date of enlistment, and at time of making application for pension shall have been a resident of the state at least five years, and who has been disabled by disease, wounds or other injuries contracted or received in said service, and who is unable from his own resources and the United States pension to obtain a livelihood for himself and those dependent upon him, shall be entitled to a pension from the state, not exceeding eight dollars a month, provided, he has been honorably discharged from said service. No such pension shall be paid by this state to persons residing in other states.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Each year I pick a family name that will be my main research topic for the year. Last year (2014) was the year of the Virgie, they are a small group and it gave me lots of time to work into my on going family research. 2013, was the Watson family of Carleton Co, New Brunswick, one of my husbands lines. Someday I will find who Peter Watson, Loyalist, belongs to!! 2012 was the descendants of Edmund Price and Jane Webb, unlike the rest, this family is huge. Even after a year, with help from other researchers on the Hovey group, I still have 4 of the 14 children to finish research on. In 2011 I chose the Jonah family of New Brunswick.

This year it will be The Gunning family of Albert Co, New Brunswick. The Gunnings are also a fairly small group compared to a lot of the families I research. My goal is to trace every line and get them as close to present as I can. Not always easy but so worth it.

James Gunning, Sr and his wife Mary Johnston (surname is still being proven) came from Europe in the early 1800's to Albert County. They arrived with four children, John (most likely), James Jr, Mary Ann and Elizabeth. There were probably more children. There is question to where they were from, England, Ireland or Scotland. With the research I have done, most likely they are Irish by way of England.

I descend from James Gunning, Jr and his wife Margaret Jonah. Their son William Lovell Gunning and his wife Mary Jane Virgie died young leaving my GG grandmother Annie Laura Gunning and her brother John "Seymour" Gunning orphaned by 1875 at age 8 and 4 receptively. Seymour was raised by his uncle James Hazen Gunning. The family lived in Coverdale and what was known as Gunningsville. As for Annie, we have no idea who she went to after her parents death. She is not in the 1880 census with any of her family. We know she was a housekeeper and worked for several families in Albert County. In the end she ended up marrying Rufus Leaman, the son of a family she worked for. This seems to be a running theme in my ancestry as my paternal great grandmother, Annie Flynn, did the same thing.

Through DNA testing I have two matches to people who descend from the Gunnings, if you have a connection, have more information or have had a atDNA testing and want to compare information feel free to contact me.